Parenthetical Statement
Parenthetical statements are clauses or phrases used in sentences that contain secondary information unnecessary for the completion of the independent clause.Strunk, William and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. New York: Longman, 2000. Print. Uses Use parentheses to enclose material added to a sentence when that material is not of major importance (An understated interruption) Place a space outside the parentheses (before the first unless it begins a sentence and after the last unless it ends a sentence), but do not place a space after the opening parenthesis or before the closing parenthesis. Marks of Parenthesis are used to separate expressions inserted in the body of a sentence, which are illustrative of the meaning, but have no essential connection with the sentence, and could be done without. They should be used as little as possible for they show that something is being brought into a sentence that does not belong to it. When the unity of a sentence is broken the words causing the break should be enclosed in parenthesis. In reports of speeches marks of parenthesis are used to denote interpolations of approval or disapproval by the audience: "The masses must not submit to the tyranny of the classes (hear, hear), we must show the trust magnates (groans), that they cannot ride rough-shod over our dearest rights (cheers);" "If the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), will not be our spokesman, we must select another. (A voice,—Get Robinson)."http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090228214639AAfI1St Examples: Use parentheses to enclose words or figures that clarify or are used as an aside. I expect five hundred dollars ($500). He finally answered (after taking five minutes to think) that he did not understand the question. Commas could have been used in the above example. Parentheses show less emphasis or importance.http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/parens.asp Example: Use full parentheses to enclose numbers or letters used for listed items. We need an emergency room physician who can (1) think quickly, (2) treat patients respectfully, and (3) handle complaints from the public.http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/parens.asp Punctuation A statement containing an expression in parentheses is punctuated outside the last mark of parentheses exactly as if the parenthetical expression were absent. The expression within the marks is punctuated as if it stood by itself, except that the final stop is omitted unless it is a question mark or an explaination mark. (When a wholly detached expression or sentence is parenthesized, the final stop comes before the last mark of the parentheses.)Strunk, William and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. New York: Longman, 2000. Print. You may also enclose a parenthetical expression between commas. An example of this rule follows: The best way to see a country, unless you are pressed for time, is to travel on foot. The misapplication of this rule is not so much of an error as it is a choice. The rule is difficult to apply; it is frequently hard to decide whether a single word, such as however, or a brief phrase is or is not parenthetic.If the interuption of the sentence is very brief, it is safe to use a comma. Remember: " Marks of Parenthesis are used to separate expressions inserted in the body of a sentence, which are illustrative of the meaning, but have no essential connection with the sentence". When the unity of the sentence is disrupted in such a way as to change the continueity of that sentence, parentheses should be used instead of commas. Periods go inside parentheses only if an entire sentence is inside the parentheses. Examples: Please read the analysis (I enclosed it as Attachment A.). OR Please read the analysis. (I enclosed it as Attachment A.) OR Please read the analysis (Attachment A). http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/parens.asp Common Errors The most common error in using parenthesis marks (besides using them too much) is to forget to enclose the parenthetical material with a final, closing parenthesis mark. The second most common is to place concluding punctuation incorrectly. The simplest sort of example is one in which the entire sentence is enclosed in parentheses. (Most people understand that the final punctuation must remain inside the closing parenthesis mark, like this.) More troublesome are sentences in which only a clause or phrase is enclosed in parentheses. Normally a sentence’s final punctuation mark—whether period, exclamation point, or question mark—goes outside such a parenthesis (like this). However, if the material inside the parenthesis requires a concluding punctuation mark like an exclamation point or question mark (but not a period!), that mark is placed inside the closing mark even though another mark is outside it. This latter sort of thing is awkward, however, and best avoided if you can help it. http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/parentheses.html For some reason, many writers have begun to omit the space before a parenthetic page citation, like this:(p. 17). Always preserve the space, like this: (p. 17). References